49 pages • 1 hour read
214
Book • Nonfiction
Jedwabne, Poland • 1940s
2000
Adult
18+ years
Neighbors by Jan Tomasz Gross recounts the tragic events of July 10, 1941, in the Polish village of Jedwabne, where non-Jewish residents brutally attacked their Jewish neighbors, leading to the death of around 1,600 Jews who were corralled into a barn and burned. The massacre was organized by local officials with Nazi consent but without direct German involvement. After the war, the incident was obscured but later brought to light through historical testimonies and investigations. The book addresses deeply sensitive topics, including antisemitism and the Holocaust.
Dark
Unnerving
Informative
Mysterious
Challenging
3,476 ratings
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Mixed feelings
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Neighbors by Jan Tomasz Gross elicits strong reactions. Its meticulous research into the Jedwabne massacre in WWII Poland earns critical acclaim for shedding light on local complicity in the Holocaust. However, some critique its reliance on limited sources and question its broader implications, arguing it oversimplifies complex historical contexts. An essential yet contentious read.
A reader who would enjoy Neighbors by Jan Tomasz Gross is likely interested in Holocaust studies, Eastern European history, and the sociology of ethnoreligious violence. Fans of Hannah Arendt’s Eichmann in Jerusalem and Timothy Snyder’s Bloodlands may find this book compelling for its meticulous investigation and moral inquiry.
3,476 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
214
Book • Nonfiction
Jedwabne, Poland • 1940s
2000
Adult
18+ years
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